Wire - Vinyl reissues 2018

Got to crank up the vinyl of Chairs Missing yesterday. Much to my surprise, the vinyl sound quality is better than I was expecting. Slightly compressed, but not that bad. Nice, flat and quiet pressing with a tad surface noise in between songs, but that happens. Decent bottom end and clarity. Sure its a digital transfer, but I would side with others and say that there is no way the CD version will sound as good as the vinyl on a decent system. I am a fan of CD's still, but I feel that if the vinyl transfer is done properly, they normally out perform the CD. With that said, I do not have the CD to compare it to.

The music - well it was really like hearing it for the first time, it had been so long. Easily a 5 star classic and can't wait for another listen. Much more than just a punk classic from back in the day. Love the progressiveness the music has!

Will easily get the other two based on my experience with Chairs Missing. Would get them this week, but I have U2's Achtung Baby and Zooropa vinyl on order for Friday. This has been one crazy filled year of vinyl releases...

A little update: I have been in communication with folks from Pinkflag.com and Cargo. Neither will step up and take responsibility for the bad copies I got. They actually told me I was free to buy more copies to see if they were better. If that doesn't tell you their attitude toward record buyers and fans, I don't know what does.

I'll say it again but don't buy these at all if you think you might get stuck with them if your copies are bad. Get them from some place with 100% no questions asked returns.

A little update: I have been in communication with folks from Pinkflag.com and Cargo. Neither will step up and take responsibility for the bad copies I got. They actually told me I was free to buy more copies to see if they were better. If that doesn't tell you their attitude toward record buyers and fans, I don't know what does.

I'll say it again but don't buy these at all if you think you might get stuck with them if your copies are bad. Get them from some place with 100% no questions asked returns.

My copy of 154 was nearly perfect. No complaints but including the bonus EP found on OG UK copies would have been a nice touch.
Out of the first 3 Wire LPs 154 has always been my least favorite. On its own I’d say it’s a near perfect record.
I came away with a very good sounding pressing. It’s unfortunate that some people have received poor ones. I found the nearly $30 price a tad high but don’t regret my purchase.

These LPs must be selling pretty well. I pre-ordered Chairs Missing on Amazon a few weeks before the July 20 release date, and mine is still showing that it hasn't shipped yet, and Amazon already has that album listed as "temporarily out of stock."

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This also happened to me, pretty surprising because I advance ordered way waaaay back.

This also happened to me, pretty surprising because I advance ordered way waaaay back.

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I have been trying to get my local shop to get PF and 154 as the only one I was able to get was CM. I was holding off until next week because of other titles coming out, but they kept them in my cart, but are still not available from their supplier. As soon as I get word, I will grab these as I do not want to take chances. So cool to be enjoying music like this that had been so long its like new again! These are on the pricey side, but have to have them.

All three are still available at Reckless Records for $26.99 according to the website

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Yeah, the key local shops in my area have them. I just wanted to order these through Amazon in case I need to exchange them due to pressing quality issues. Maybe I will have to cross my fingers and get them from Amoeba.

Got to crank up the vinyl of Chairs Missing yesterday. Much to my surprise, the vinyl sound quality is better than I was expecting. Slightly compressed, but not that bad. Nice, flat and quiet pressing with a tad surface noise in between songs, but that happens. Decent bottom end and clarity. Sure its a digital transfer, but I would side with others and say that there is no way the CD version will sound as good as the vinyl on a decent system.

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I got to compare today (at a good volume) older 80's pressing and the new one. I would say the same thing. I ended up getting PF and 154 too. Sorry folks got warped copies, mine are flat. I believe that warping happens in transient with usps. I always try to source from my local shop.

I got to compare today (at a good volume) older 80's pressing and the new one. I would say the same thing. I ended up getting PF and 154 too. Sorry folks got warped copies, mine are flat. I believe that warping happens in transient with usps. I always try to source from my local shop.

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Nice! Got CM from my local shop and have PF and 154 ordered there as well. I would say that the majority of times I get warped vinyl, it is almost always from Amazon, so unless their price is ridiculous cheap, I always stay local or when audiophile I use Acoustic Sounds and Music Direct, with AS being my favorite of those two. I realize you can have issues anywhere though...

Not sure what it is with Amazon, but a year or so a go I got over 10 warped copies (different titles) in a row. And trust me, I can tolerate minor issues as I do not want to get to hung up unless it affects the play/sound.

That's interesting about people getting warped LPs from Amazon. Weirdly, I've actually gotten far more warped new LPs from local shops like Amoeba than Amazon over the last couple of years. (And Amoeba gets cranky about returning warped copies if a needle can still technically track them.)

At any rate, impatience is getting the better of me. I don't understand what the hold up is with Amazon for this Wire LPs. If Amazon is still showing my order as not shipped yet this weekend, I'm going to bite the bullet, cancel the order, and get copies from a local shop.

That's interesting about people getting warped LPs from Amazon. Weirdly, I've actually gotten far more warped new LPs from local shops like Amoeba than Amazon over the last couple of years. (And Amoeba gets cranky about returning warped copies if a needle can still technically track them.)

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Do not mean to deviate from this thread, but there lies the problem, most local shops (not all) frown on returned vinyl because they can get stuck with them. So there is the ease when buying from Amazon. The owner of my local shop will sometimes buy off of Amazon when they low ball the price since it is cheaper then their supplier would charge. But he has told me when he receives vinyl from his supplier (not Amazon) they are shipped and packed way better. But it is also just the roll of the dice sometimes. I have gotten defective vinyl from other sellers as well.

My copy new copy of Pink Flag was nice, same things as above sound wise as Chairs Missing but my 154 is the loser. Lots of surface noise. Gonna bring it over to my friend who hads an ultrasonic rcm and see if that can help it

Bummer: I picked up a copy of Chairs Missing from a local shop. The entirety of both "Practice Makes Perfect" and "French Film Blurred" have continuous scratchy surface noise in the right channel. After that, the surface noise is a bit more intermittent, but still pretty persistent throughout the rest of the side. It's the kind of surface noise that's audible in quiet passages but more or less masked by louder tracks, and this is an album with a lot of quiet passages...

The LP also has a mild dish warp - probably mild enough to overlook, but the surface noise is a deal breaker. Haven't even listened to side 2.

It's a shame because sound quality is good: natural, dynamic, and crisp.

I haven't canceled my delayed Amazon order of this album yet; maybe I'll keep that open in case they send a better copy.

Also, a poly-lined inner sleeve, or even a flimsy, clear, soft plastic inner, would have been nice. Putting LPs in thick, heavy inners is always asking for trouble.

My 154 arrived from Amazon and I’m pleased. A very nice and quiet pressing, with good dynamic sound, though I had to listen to it a little quieter than usual as I’ve just adopted two new rabbits! But no complaints here apart from my Chairs Missing getting delayed, and also I don’t care much — as @thoutah noted — for the hard, thick inner.

And "common sense" tells you to dismiss reissues without actually having heard them????

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No, it tells me that since the new deluxe CDs are using the old 2006 remasters, then it's almost certain the new vinyl uses them too.

I have the original Harvest/Japan CDs from 30+ years ago, so I've only heard the 2006 remasters on my iPhone in the car...maybe the 2006's sound great. It's just that the vinyl is nearly $30, so I'd like to hear a few more detailed reviews before deciding.

You're right. I'm certain they use the 2006 remasters. This is Wire. It's not like they have some mega budget and created new 2018 hi rez flat transfers for archival purposes and/or cut straight from the original analog tape. It just didn't happen. All we're getting here is relatively inexpensive reissues (using the latest remasters) of records where the originals are relatively expensive. Nothing wrong with that but also no reason to build them up into something more.

Yes, these could've have been better (from a analog source and some random QC issues that other have) but I still think they're enjoyable to listen to still and the best I'm gonna get at this time. I might be in the minority saying that.

I've not seen these in the wild for a long time. The last time I saw Chairs Missing used ($20 and NM!) in a record store was 2008 and I was out of work and didn't buy it.

My friend ran my 154 through this ultrasonic and the surface noise is much better. I think those thick inner are shredding paper dust badly. All got new lined inner sleeves now.

I've not seen these in the wild for a long time. The last time I saw Chairs Missing used ($20 and NM!) in a record store was 2008 and I was out of work and didn't buy it.

My friend ran my 154 through this ultrasonic and the surface noise is much better. I think those thick inner are shredding paper dust badly. All got new lined inner sleeves now.

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My main local record store recently had an early UK pressing of Chairs Missing for $70. They had it up on the wall, so I have no idea what sort of condition it was in. Prior to that, I can't tell you the last time I saw any of these three albums in a physical shop (non 4MWB pressings, of course).

FWIW, I just did a sort of casual and very non-scientific comparison of this new Chairs Missing LP against my early UK pressing. My early pressing is useless because it has this loud, scratchy surface noise in the right channel throughout the entire LP, which is why I was looking forward to these new versions (and why I was hoping they'd be nice and quiet).

At any rate, the early pressing is a tad louder and a little brighter, seems to have a slightly wider soundstage, and feels a bit more lively or immersive, if that makes sense. The new one, while certainly not bad, doesn't quite leap out of the speakers the way the original does. I did not find it to be a night and day difference, but I could pick up on it even though I wasn't able to a/b them together (since I don't have two turntables hooked up to one system). Still, quality control issues aside, I'd say these new ones sound good enough to satisfy most people, and they'd work just fine as placeholders for anyone trying to hunt down a good quality original who wants something on LP to listen to in the meantime.

Finally, I also noticed that side one of my new Chairs Missing is a little off center. Not the end of the world, since I can probably fix that with a file, but along with all the other QC issues, it does indicate that Wire had these pressed at a less reliable plant.

(One more thing - I like how on the back cover of this new version it says "Not available on cassette" at the bottom. Is this a dig at the current [and silly] cassette fad? My original copy, of course, says "Available on cassette" on the back at the bottom.)

You're right. I'm certain they use the 2006 remasters. This is Wire. It's not like they have some mega budget and created new 2018 hi rez flat transfers for archival purposes and/or cut straight from the original analog tape. It just didn't happen. All we're getting here is relatively inexpensive reissues (using the latest remasters) of records where the originals are relatively expensive. Nothing wrong with that but also no reason to build them up into something more.

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According the the pinkflag forum thread on the deluxe 2018 cd reissues they are new remasters and not taken from the 2006 files.

According the the pinkflag forum thread on the deluxe 2018 cd reissues they are new remasters and not taken from the 2006 files.

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I thought I read here that they *were* the 2006 versions, but I can't find it now. Either way it looks like it's the same mastering engineer for both the new and the 2006, and in the CD deluxe thread there's complaints about the compression on the new ones.